Tallinn University of Technology, the only technological university in Estonia, is the flagship of Estonian engineering and technology education. Here the synergy between different fields (technological, natural, exact, social and health sciences) is created and new ideas are born.

Cyber Security

The programme provides students with core skills in wide aspects of the security of information systems and specialised skills in the chosen specialisation. Students get a unique chance to study under high-level Cybersecurity practitioners from Estonian universities, industry, law enforcement, CERT and the NATO Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence.

The programme is taught jointly by the two largest public universities in Estonia. The Cyber Security and Digital Forensics studies are concentrated in Tallinn, while the specialisation in Cryptography is concentrated in Tartu. Upon successful completion of the programme students will receive a joint degree signed by both universities - TalTech and University of Tartu.

Specialisation in Cyber Security

The public focus on the field of cyber security is growing around the world. Estonia is well known for its eagerness to put innovative IT solutions into everyday use. It is a pioneer in electronic identities and electronic voting and enthusiastically adopts mobile technology, online banking and electronic government services. However, with so many e-solutions and such extensive use of the internet, attention also needs to be turned to the security issue.

By choosing electable courses, it is possible to specialise in one of the following aspects or a suitable mix of those:

Digital forensics is a branch of forensic science encompassing the recovery and investigation of material found in digital devices, often in relation to computer crime. The area is becoming critical for both data security and law enforcement and is involved in a complicated interplay between surveillance and counter-surveillance issues.

Specialisation in Cryptography

Cryptography is vital for the functioning of the modern interconnected world, since it is required to ensure privacy, data integrity, etc. Cryptography experts are required to develop new ways of keeping data secure, as well as making sure that the existing solutions are still strong enough.

Future career

The programme conveys the specialist knowledge and professional skills needed on a career path leading to high-end technical roles (e.g. security analyst, architect or research engineer; security incident handler or a digital forensic expert in a law enforcement agency) or managerial roles (e.g. project/team leader or technology officer).

The studies are also an excellent addition to a previous background in legal studies or law enforcement, leading to unique career opportunities. Great networking possibilities and collaboration with leading specialists in the field will present graduates with a range of career opportunities. The studies can also be continued at doctoral level. The direct follow-up curriculum at TalTech is Information and Communication Technology (IAQD) PhD progarmme.

Bachelor's degree or equivalent in IT, ICT or Economics (degree in other field is accepted only if candidate has either previous work experience or in-service training in IT). In order to qualify for the studies in Tallinn University of Technology an applicant has to have at least 60% of the highest possible CGPA.

Motivation letter

Please include the following:

Describe your professional goals. How does the degree programme you are applying for will support your professional profile?

Why do you apply for the chosen programme? Which of the courses offered in this programme are particularly beneficial in pursuing your professional goals?

Describe your previous experience and competencies related to IT — e.g. your works and projects, skills you have mastered at training courses or by yourself, online IT courses you have passed, free and open-source software projects you have participated in, list of Github, Bitbucket and other social coding repositories, etc.

If you do not have previous IT experience, please explain your motivation why you decided to study cyber security.

List achievements that you are very proud of. For example, this might include the development of open-source tools; published academic papers; etc.

Please point out 1-2 potential research questions of your interest, about which you might consider writing your final MSc thesis.

NB! It is important to properly cite and reference any sources used in your motivation letter (quotations, publications, ideas etc. that are not your own). Neglecting the rules of referencing and citation is considered plagiarism and will result in the disqualification of your application.

Questionnaire
Questionnaire type of test (mostly multiple choice answers) is a simple Google form. After you have completed the questionnaire, you will be given access to a virtual lab environment.

Online lab
A good Internet connection is recommended in order to access the virtual lab. The virtual lab is cloud-based so no special hardware or software is required. More detailed information will be sent to your email after completing the initial questionnaire.

Online interview

The aim of the interview is to understand your academic potential, motivation and suitability for your chosen course. For this reason, the interview will include some technical questions.

Questions are composed to assess your:

problem-solving abilities;

intellectual flexibility and analytical skills;

assimilation of new ideas and information.

Topics that are covered during interview

Interviews are discussion-based, mainly academic and program-related:

personal motivation and information provided in the written application;

engagement with the cyber security area;

algorithms and scripting/programming;

cryptography;

network security;

digital forensics;

security management & strategies;

legal and ethical aspects of cyber security;

potential project idea for thesis topic.

The length of an interview vary between 10-15 minutes and will be conducted by the specialists in the programme you have applied for.

Grading scale: 1–10 points. Candidate must collect at least 5 points.

Students for TalTech international study programmes are admitted based on the admission threshold. The maximum score for motivation letter, online interview and supporting information is 20 points. An applicant who receives the minimum of 14 points is admitted.